RK Sinha, director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), was on Saturday, appointed the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

RK Sinha, director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), was on Saturday, appointed the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

The 60-year-old mechanical engineer from Patna University will take charge of the country's nuclear programme from current AEC chairman Srikumar Banerjee, who retires on Monday.

Sinha will also hold charge as secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy. Sinha's appointment comes at a time when India plans to expand its nuclear power generation capacity exponentially, and has set an ambitious target of generating 63,000 MW of atomic power by 2032.

Sinha has been guiding the next generation Advanced Heavy Water Reactor, stated a BARC press release. He has contributed towards the rehabilitation of the two reactors of Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam. He was also associated with the design, development and installation of coolant channels and other core-internal structural components of the country's first indigenous 100-MW Dhruva Research Reactor at BARC.